Temple Performing Arts Center is a stunner. Ever been? We’re thrilled to be in this inspiring space for TEDxPhilly: The City on Tuesday, November 8. Over 25 speakers and even more performers will take the stage to share with the audience some of the greatest challenges, innovations, concepts and realities that shape and are shaped by cities and their inhabitants.

All photos ©2010 Anne Todd

The global water industry is estimated at a whopping $350 billion, and while Philadelphia might be an unexpected leader in this burgeoning field, The Water and Environmental Technology Center headquartered at Temple University, is quickly becoming recognized as a global technology hub.

In partnership with the University of Arizona and funded in part by illustrious grants from the National Science Foundation as well as investments from the private sector, Dr. Rominder Suri wants to change how the world sees, and values, Earth’s most precious resource: Water.

While this innovation is local, the implications are global, as covered in Flying Kite’s article on the subject, Philly’s water world attracting investment, innovation:

Think about [water] treatment plants, with infrastructure built many years ago, and ill equipped to handle some of the chemicals that now show up in every stream. Dr. Rominder Suri, Director of the Water and Environmental Technology Center, studies emerging contaminants and develops technologies to identify and treat a wide range of chemicals in water. Caffeine, for example, is everywhere. In every stream, you will find traces of the stimulant. A far greater regional threat is runoff from coal mining and natural gas drilling operations. Concerns about fracking are on the rise, and a big reason is the effect on water quality.

“There is not only a shortage of water but the quality of water is generally not good,” explains Suri. “Industry needs high purity water for manufacturing purposes, which are on the increase due to globalization” (hence the development and commercialization of water treatment technologies). The supply of water is finite, and with simple population growth, water becomes less and less available per capita. Water efficiency is a major issue globally, yet the dynamics and factors that go into each region are different.

The mission of the WET Center is to “develop technologies and methods to detect, understand, mitigate and/or control emerging contaminants (ECs) as well as other traditional contaminants in the environment that can adversely impact water quality and the environment. The vision of the WET Center is to minimize any adverse effects of ECs and other contaminants on human health and/or the environment.”

Since speaking at TEDxPhilly in 2010, Nic Esposito a farmer, community organizer, storyteller, and now, self published author(!) has been quite busy! His first book, Seeds of Discent which came out in April 2011, was cultivated by the community through a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign. Parting from the typical political and instructive tone of the genre, this novel instead tells the human story of living sustainably.

Nic is already working on his next book focused on soil management and what he has coined “habitat change” which will “take these ideas a step further from global warming and focusing on the ideas of resource and soil depletion that are just as detrimental.”

Get Inspired and Check Out Nic Esposito’s TEDxPhilly 2010 Talk:

How do you sow the seeds of change? Nic Esposito speaks emphatically to the audience at TEDxPhilly about urban farming happening right here, right now. Nic has set up community gardens in West Philadelphia, where residents take control of their own food security and local economy through the production and sale of agriculture.

Nic has created a bunch of grassroots organizations in Philadelphia. We blame his green thumb. He co-founded Philly Rooted, which pretties up those pathetic empty lots. He also founded and runs Philly Corner Stories, helping Philadelphians tell their corner stories.

Wanna be on film?
The Free Film Collective and TEDxPhilly are looking for engaged Philadelphians who want to be filmed / photographed with the TED ‘X’ on October 7, 8, 9 & 10 in front of some of Philly’s most well-known landmarks. You’ll be featured in a short film and online. Is that you? It’s not to late, Sign up here! »

Call for Artists
We are accepting submissions to be featured in our printed program until October 10th. If you or someone you know creates artwork that relates to our theme, The City, then we want to hear from you! Read the full details on our blog »

TEDxPhilly Happy Hour
Wednesday, Oct 12 2011, 5:30p.m. – 8:00p.m.
You are cordially invited to a TEDxPhilly Happy Hour to celebrate our growing community, get psyched for the day, and mingle with one another (and a few speakers!) There will be special ticketing opportunities too. Discounts and other enticing incentives will be offered as well as drinks from our friends at DrinkPhilly!

Bring your friends, your pals, your coworkers, your compatriots — hell, bring your Mom! Tell them to bring their friends, colleagues, comrades, etc. We have a few treats up our sleeves and we want to share them with you AND your wallets.
Pass it on via the Facebook Event Page or Ticketleap

Sponsor TEDxPhilly
There are so many ways we can highlight your business or organization at TEDxPhilly! See our growing list of sponsors and learn more about how to contribute: tedxphilly.com/sponsors

Will we see you there?
Time sure is flying! We can’t believe it’s October already, and TEDxPhilly is just over one month away. We’re so beyond excited about this year’s speaker lineup. We’ll be confirming a few more, but check out our current list to date:
tedxphilly.com/speakers

We can’t wait to share the day with you, grab your ticket today!

Forbes Magazine recently featured Philadelphia’s farmers’ markets, particularly Headhouse Market, in an article titled The Summer Bounty from Farm to City. When it comes to local and sustainable food markets in America’s consumer culture, the numbers are astounding, with over 7,175 markets serving 125,000 customers annually.

These markets provide affordable, convenient and healthful access to fresh fruits and vegetables. They promote good health and nutrition…They also play a key role in developing local and regional food systems that support the sustainability of family farms, revitalize communities and provide places for farmers and consumers to meet.

Rittenhouse Square Market, Greensgrow Farms and Fairmount Farmers Market were also highlighted as some of the best local and sustainable Farmers Markets which can be found every day of the week in many areas of Philadelphia. Will we see you at one this week?

New York was planning to tear down the High Line, an abandoned elevated railroad in Manhattan, when Robert Hammond and a few friends suggested: Why not make it a park? He shares how it happened in this tale of local cultural activism.